Improvement in shirt and drawers combined



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EBASTUS S. BENNETT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELFW,

AND JUSTUS SMITH, OF THE SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHIRT AND DRAWERS COMBINED.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 83,447, dated October 27, 1868; antedated October 7, 1868.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERAsTUs S. BENNETT, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Shirts and Drawers for Underwear; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in so l constructing theshirt and drawers as to permit of their being more readily put on andV taken oif, more comfortably and conveniently worn, and to render them more economical and healthy than those now in vogue, in com-l bination with a re-enforcement at the lower dorsal and lumbar region of 'the spinal column, in order that athorough and perfect protection. may be insured to this most susceptibleportion of the body. Since innumerable serious and frequently fatal venal, pulmonary, and nervous maladies arise from the insufficiency of uniform covering at this point, 1t will beseen'that as a hygienic measure said re-enforcement is of vast and vital importance, especially to those who are not constitutionally hardy. The peculiar form of the shirt and drawers (shown in Figs. l and 2) admits of their being more accurately tted to the person of the wearer, so that apposition is easily secured.

The drawing-'string a a is supplied to remedy any inaccuracy in the t about the waist, so that the whole weight of the garment shall not bear on the shoulders, but may be divided, a portion falling on the hips.

The drawers are made open at the fork D, in the same manner that ladies drawers are usually made, in order that a free circulation of air may be insured around the genitals. To those afflicted with weaknesses of these parts this is of the greatest importance. Many other points might be mentioned wherein the hygienic shirt and drawers are obviously preferable to those now in vogue.

These shirts may be made with the usual band at the neck, or a collar may be attached, so that they may be worn as an outside shirt it' desired. The arms andlegs may be the full length, or as much shorter as desired. They may be made of any suitable material and of any size.

In the drawings, Figure No. `l represents a front View of the hygienic shirt and drawers as they appear buttoned up. When they are to be taken off they can be thrown oif like a coat or vest by unbuttoning the buttons in front and untying the string o a.

Fig. No. 2 represents a back view of the same, showing the re-enforced portion B andv (l C. At B a piece is stitched on having the shape described by the dot-ted lilies, or the shape may be varied to suit particular cases. Below the drawing-string a a the re-enforcelment is brought about by lapping-the posterior and upper portion of the back of the drawers, as c c, or pieces may be stitched on, as at B, and the drawers may open at this point by means of a slit from D to the drawin g-strin g a a., said slit being supplied with buttons to keep the sides together.

The drawers may be made fast to the shirt by means of buttons, or may be sewed, as shown in the drawings.

What 'I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the shirt or body E E, drawers or legs F, and the re-enforced portion B and C C, all substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination therewith, the drawingstring or adjuster a a., applied and operating substantially as described.

E. S. BENNETT.

Witnesses:

J. P; BRowNEn, M. J. BOGERT. 

